


better every year

by bugggghead-orphaned (bugggghead)



Series: spend the holidays with bughead [7]
Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Mentions of Pregnancy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:20:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21982822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugggghead/pseuds/bugggghead-orphaned
Summary: Complicated recipes were no match for her natural penchant for optimizing every situation. Switching a few ingredients for things residing in her cabinets—complete with numerous taste tests throughout the process—almost always resulted in an even more savory outcome than she could have hoped for.But even with her natural inclination for cooking, and her unwavering ability to adapt, Betty felt utterly helpless as she looked at the stack of canned goods piled on the too-small island of their first college apartment.-Glimpses of Betty and Jughead's Christmases together at two very different points in their lives.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Series: spend the holidays with bughead [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1213026
Comments: 11
Kudos: 100
Collections: 6th Bughead Fanfiction Awards - Nominees, Bughead Secret Santa, Home for the HoliDale





	better every year

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oryoucouldstay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oryoucouldstay/gifts).



> Thanks are in order for [@lovedinapastlife](https://lovedinapastlife.tumblr.com) and [@noorakardemmomesaetre](https://noorakardemmomesaetre%20.tumblr.com) for prereading this and generally cheering me on. Love you both!
> 
> Merry Christmas from your bughead secret santa [@oryoucouldstay](https://oryoucouldstay.tumblr.com)! You are kind and talented and I hope this present brings you half as much joy as your creations have brought me!
> 
> [@bugggghead](https://bugggghead.tumblr.com)

  
  


_ Betty Cooper could make the best of any situation.  _

_ She’d always been good at that, pulling together haphazard parts and creating something whole from the fragments. One could say she did that with friends, banding together a cohesive group that couldn’t have looked more mismatched if she’d tried. She did it when crafting with Polly’s twins, subbing twine for floss from the bathroom upstairs.  _

_ But her gift was particularly well suited for the kitchen.  _

_ Complicated recipes were no match for her natural penchant for optimizing every situation. Switching a few ingredients for things residing in her cabinets—complete with numerous taste tests throughout the process—almost always resulted in an even more savory outcome than she could have hoped for. _

_ But even with her natural inclination for cooking, and her unwavering ability to adapt, Betty felt utterly helpless as she looked at the stack of canned goods piled on the too-small island of their first college apartment.  _

_ A hand carded through inky black locks and Jughead shrugged sheepishly. “It’s all they had left, Betts. Sorry. I should’ve gotten it all sooner.” _

_ Sighing, Betty made her way around the island, slipping her slim arms around his waist and nuzzling into his chest. “It’s alright. We didn’t know we’d be stuck here until two days ago and I should have stopped at a grocery store then. I didn’t even think about it. I was too irritated with—” _

_ “I know. The weather can be unpredictable. Really, though, it’s fine. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing Betty Cooper  _ can’t  _ do. This is just another challenge.” _

_ Cracking an eye open, she surveyed their tiny studio apartment. One lone strand of twinkling lights hung over their fire escape and the shabbiest tree she’d ever seen sat undecorated in the corner, yet somehow it still managed to look festive.  _

_ “We’ll make it work,” she whispered, believing every word. _

* * *

“They’ll be here any minute, Jug!” Betty scampered around the kitchen, wiping and washing every speck of flour she found still lingering against the dark granite countertops. Everything had to be  _ perfect. _

“I know!” Heavy footfalls sounded down the stairs before Jughead swept into the kitchen, kissing her temple and grabbing the washcloth from her hands. “Betty, we’ve been over this. It’ll be—” 

“Fine,” Betty sighed. “I know. But what if—”

“Elizabeth Jones. Stop right there. The tree is decorated, the stockings are hung, dinner is warm, and even the presents are—”

“—wrapped. Yes. I know. But, Jug, what if—”

He silenced her with a swift kiss, and she sighed, letting the slide of his lips ebb the worry from her mind. “You’ve outdone yourself, Betts. They’ll love it. I promise.”

Tilting her head up to press one more kiss to his lips, she breathed, “Okay.” Leaning back, she allowed herself a moment to truly look around. 

He wasn’t wrong. The house was immaculate. 

The tree brushed the popcorn ceilings they’d already resolved to renovate in a few years, and the living room was decked out in matching strings of lights. 

It looked amazing. 

_ Their home  _ looked amazing. 

She could do this. 

It was just Christmas dinner. It was just  _ hosting  _ Christmas dinner, granted, but just dinner nonetheless. Well, it was just  _ hosting _ Christmas dinner for the entirely of the Jones, Cooper,  _ and _ Andrews clan—complete with Veronica and Archie’s newest addition. 

_ They _ could do this.

“It’ll be great.” The surety in his words eased her worry and she snuggled into his chest for just a moment before a knock echoed through the entryway.

* * *

_ Ding!  _

_ Finally, the timer went off and Betty flipped on the oven light, peering in through the thin frame of glass. It didn’t look… bad… per se. But she certainly wouldn’t call it her best work by any stretch of the imagination. _

_ Of all the things she’d done in her life, she’d never once cooked a canned ham. A large, spiral ham decorated her family’s table every year, and she’d helped cook those before, but this was much, much different.  _

_ After washing off the film clinging to the compressed little lump of meat, she’d seasoned it to the best of her ability and popped it in to bake according to the directions in teeny-tiny print on the can. Crossing her fingers and hoping for the best, she pulled open the oven door and retrieved the now cooked, misshapen thing. It was barely big enough for one pineapple ring and two maraschino cherries, but she’d tried her best to make it look appealing. _

_ Poking it with a knife, the little lump no longer wiggled and she took it as a good sign. One can of corn was simmering on the stovetop, and a pot was roiling with the now softened single potato Jughead had acquired at the last minute.  _

_ She still had the mash the potato, singular, unfortunately, and mix up some instant mashed potatoes to pad the yield.  _

_ She still had to pull the lone slice of chocolate cake out of the freezer and let it thaw.  _

_ She still had to toast the artisan rolls they’d bought out of pure necessity because anything affordable had been sold out. _

_ But despite the last few touches, their Christmas meal was nearly complete. _

_ “Could you give me a hand in here?” She said it a little louder than strictly necessary, listening to the words echo off the walls that were all a little too close for comfort, but he had his headset on and the PlayStation was whirring with effort as he muttered unintelligible curses.  _

_ “Be right there!” His voice, too, was loud in the scant space, and she laughed to herself, a smile curving her lips, as she whipped up the potatoes and added too much butter in an effort to cover the flavor of the flakes that always seemed to taste like cardboard. _

* * *

“It’s so good to see you too, Fred.” 

Pressing a light kiss to his cheek, Betty hugged her once-neighbor, now friend in her final greeting. 

Their living room was teeming with people. 

Little Paris was bouncing on her father’s knee, dark curls springing to life as her mother cooed something too low for Betty to hear. 

Archie and Veronica had settled down right out of high school. He’d proposed at graduation, in typical Archie fashion, proclaiming he was ready to move full steam ahead with the life he wanted with no one other than her best friend and confidant, Veronica Lodge, who had been all too happy to agree. 

Paris was born just a few months earlier, though the newly minted Andrews had been trying for years. She was the apple of their eye, and Betty couldn’t help the swell of emotion threatening her already fragile hormones as she watched her best friends in the entire world fawn over their daughter. She  _ was _ rather cute.

“Do you think she’ll like her present.” Warm breath caressed her ear as Jughead’s hand landed low on the dip of her spine.

Gulping, she nodded. They’d gotten her a teething toy, some too-expensive little giraffe thing that even came with a name and a book. The packaging had said it was ‘good to grow’ with them, and after he'd called and rattled off the features in a frazzled manner over the symphony of Black Friday shoppers (all-natural dyes, perfectly curved contours for teething and beyond!), she’d told Jughead to snag it. 

They were both still situated in the entryway, his palm burning through the thin fabric of her blouse. Everyone else was too distracted greeting one another to notice their hosts hadn’t quite joined the party yet, and Betty took advantage of the moment, snagging Jughead’s hand and sliding it across her still mostly-flat abdomen. 

“Maybe next year we can get another,” she whispered. 

Smooth lips ghosted her temple and she leaned back into his embrace. “Sounds perfect.”

* * *

_ Canned goods were decidedly best for side dishes—and only in a pinch, at that. At least for the holidays.  _

_ Clearing the plates from the table, hers still laden with scraps she hadn’t wanted, and his polished clean, Betty resolved to avoid canned goods for the foreseeable future. Stores would be restocked soon enough. _

_ With the dishes rinsed and a cup of hot chocolate in each of their hands, they settled on the couch, flipping through Netflix’s selection of classic holiday movies.  _

_ “That’s not a Christmas movie.” They’d had this argument before, and just like the last few times, Betty already knew she’d probably lose.  _

_ “It is and you know it. Now just press play and c’mhere already.” Jughead’s arm swept to the side, opening up that perfectly shaped space she liked to crawl into.  _

_ Rolling her eyes, she huffed as she scooted over, thumb still hovering over the select button. “But what if we—” _

_ “Nope. My year. It’s the rules. Last year we watched,” he paused, apparently at a loss for the title of the Hallmark featured movie of the year that she still chose to watch on the rare occasion he was out of town for work. “Well, whatever it was, we watched it because it was  _ your _ year. This year’s mine.” _

_ “Fiiiiiiine.” Like a petulant child, she pressed play and proceeded to pout. “But if I’m still awake after it’s over, I get to pick the next one.” _

_ “Deal.” A smirk twisted his lips and she knew exactly why. She’d never, ever, ever been able to stay awake post-holiday meal long enough to watch two whole movies. Hell, there had only been one year in high school she’d made it past the first.  _

* * *

With a great deal of effort, Betty managed not to rub her tummy every time something spelled especially strong. This early in her pregnancy, even pleasant scents bordered on putrid to her heightened senses. 

The meal was lovely, everyone gathered around the table they’d had to put both leaves in for the first time ever, and nearly licked every dish clean. She’d always been taught that the lack of leftovers was a sure sign of a meal well-cooked, and if the scraps left on the serving platters were anything to go by, it appeared she’d done quite well this year. 

Her own food had been pushed around when no one was looking, the barely-there baby making its presence known as her stomach roiled, but she’d had a lifetime of faux smiles and feigned interest, utilizing her best Cooper family manners to practice her deceit. And no one seemed any wiser. 

Rinsing off the final dish, she took a deep breath of the alluring scent of soap—seriously, hormones were such odd things and at the moment, the lemony scent of the off-brand soap was more appealing than even the meal had been. 

“Anything I can do to help?” The distinct thump of Jughead’s boots drew nearer, and Betty turned in front of the sink, shaking her head.

“Nope. All done here.” Beaming, she reached forward, capturing his hands and pulling him flush against her. “Are they almost ready to pass out the presents out there?”

A hint of a smile drifted across his lips as Jughead shook his head, unruly black locks dancing across his forehead, free of the beanie just for the occasion. “Juniper, Dagwood, and Paris are all chewing on candy canes and Polly and Veronica are too caught up in talk about the best bottles to reduce Paris’ gas. Jellybean and your mom are discussing something about revamping the printing press at JB’s college and my dad and Fred are a few drinks deep already. If you wanted,” he paused, glancing over his shoulder before gliding a palm against her abdomen. “If you wanted, we could go upstairs for a few minutes. Catch our breath before the insanity begins.”

A sense of relief washed over her as Betty nodded. “I’d love that.”

* * *

_ True to form, Betty woke in the early hours of Christmas morning with a kink in her neck, her head resting on Jughead’s shoulder. The couch wasn’t the most comfortable space to sleep, and with that in mind, she yawned, sitting up and stretching her limbs before rousing Jughead from his own slumber. “Wake up.” Nuding his shoulder, an adorable little snore cut short as he cracked open an eye.  _

_ “Mmm,” he hummed. “Whattimeisit?” To anyone else, anyone who didn’t speak to him every day in all states of being, the words would have been some nonsensical jumble, but Betty picked them up. _

_ “Late. Come to bed.” Slipping off the couch, she sleepily padded to the far side of the little apartment and crawled between the soft sheets.  _

_ In no time at all, strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.  _

_ In those final few moments of wakefulness, she thought about the night before: their first Christmas together. It hadn’t been ideal, and the menu was sorely lacking, but they’d been together, in their own flat, no one else around.  _

_ While Christmas always meant time with family and a trimmed tree complete with those little crown candleholders her mother always asked her to place strategically and stuff with a topiary candle, maybe doing something different wasn’t all bad. _

_ Despite canceled flights and barren shelves at the store, they’d made the most of their first holiday, and she hoped it was just the start. After all, with half the food now firmly in the trash, there was nowhere to go but up.  _

* * *

Laying on her side, Betty threaded her fingers through the messy tufts along Jughead’s hairline. Scratching his scalp in the way she’d learned years ago could melt away the stress, she leaned forward to place a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. 

“Thank you,” she breathed, resting her forehead against his and basking in the moment of silent bliss. 

“I hardly did anything. That was all you downstairs. I’d say our first Christmas here has been a resounding success.”

“It has.” She smiled. “It really has.”

“And next year—” Blue eyes flicked down the nearly imperceptible swell of her stomach. “Next year it’ll be even better.”

The curl of a smile danced along the edge of her lips as she kissed him again. “Every year is better than the last with you, Mr. Jones.” 

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was not betad so any and all mistakes are my own.
> 
> Come find me on tumblr [@bugggghead](https://bugggghead.tumblr.com)!
> 
> THANK YOU ALL for reading! Comments & kudos **always appreciated!**


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